Can openness to diversity be taught in the family?

We live an increasingly globalized world. Whilst culture contact is perceived as a threat by some, others welcome the opportunity to learn about different perspectives and to broaden their horizon. Can this openness towards diversity be taught? Research into the benefits of intercultural exchanges for students exists, yet these studies usually focus only on the student perspective. In our qualitative study we investigate if and how parental values regarding openness can be passed on to children.
We analyze both, the perspective of the parents who value intercultural exchanges and that of their children. We carried out an in-depth case study with a family with four children (two sons and two daughters, now aged between 17 and 23) who each participated in long-term exchanges aged between 7 and 10 in France, and a second exchange as teenagers (aged 13 and 16) to an English-speaking country. The family also hosted several guest children. We developed an interview guide, with adapted versions for parents and children, to obtain an in-depth understanding for the parental values, their parenting style, and the motivation of the children to go on these exchanges and their (lasting) experiences thereafter. Each family member was interviewed separately after obtaining informed consent.
Whilst all children appreciated the opportunity and agreed that the experience fostered independence and self-efficacy, they also differed regarding how these exchanges affected them – both, whist being away and on return. The parents emphasized the importance of trust in the process – both in trusting their children as well as in the host families. They also observed that only families with a larger number of children participated in the exchanges at a young age, – noting that the notion of sharing is already established. These findings will be discussed – also against the background of the emerging phenomenon of helicopter parenting.